Behind Closed Doors
by pokemon fan 98
Summary: 11:03 p.m. Fitz. 1:19 a.m. Jemma. 4:35 a.m. On one side of a wall, Jemma Simmons sat on a bed, staring at a door. On the other side of that wall, Leopold Fitz sat on a bed, staring at a door. Both wondering if they could risk sneaking into the other's room again without being detected, and both tempted to risk it anyway. Fitz-Simmons the first night after escaping the Framework.


**A/N: This takes place right before the season four finale. After everyone got out of the Framework, there had to be one night before the final battle with Aida, right? This is my idea of how Fitz and Simmons spent that night, reunited but damaged from the events of the Framework.**

"Go get some sleep," Coulson said.

"But sir -."

"We need everyone to be in top shape to face Aida tomorrow," Coulson said, overriding the weak protest. "Now get some rest."

Fitz murmured assent, looking at the floor. He heard Jemma agree as well. It was the first time he was facing sleep since being back from the Framework. Yes, he'd been unconscious since then, but this was different. This time he had to decide where to sleep: with Jemma, or alone.

Considering he was finding it hard to even meet her eyes, he figured sharing a bed with her would be almost impossible. The urge to look at her and touch her would be too strong, after so long apart, and he had to stay away from her. He would go to his own room. He started walking that way, mumbling a hasty "goodnight" to Jemma as he passed.

"Where are you going?" she asked.

He stopped with his back to her. "I thought it would be best if we went to separate rooms for now."

"Oh," She said in a small voice. "Yes, I suppose it would be."

He thought he heard disappointment in her voice, but convinced himself he was just imagining it. He was just looking for a reason to stay with her, though he didn't deserve to. He didn't deserve the sympathetic looks he kept being given, or the hushed, gentle voices. They should be mad at him, furious that he could even think the things he'd actually done in the Framework. But no one had let on any feeling of the sort.

He closed the door to his room and leaned against it, closing his eyes. Sleep would be nice, if he could quiet his mind long enough to get there. He hoped Jemma slept peacefully, if nothing else. If anyone deserved a good rest, it was her far more than him.

It was strange to get into the bed alone. Uncomfortable. The only sound in the room was his own breathing, and the bed felt much too big without her lying next to him. But he swallowed down his discomfort and closed his eyes, believing he was doing the best thing for her by staying away.

* * *

Jemma watched him go to a separate room and close the door behind him and sighed softly. He kept distancing himself from her. Yes, she knew they were having problems now. Everything was suddenly much more complicated than it had been before that damn android had upended their lives. But she still loved Fitz, more than anything. She still wanted to be with him and near him, especially not knowing what the battle the next day would be like. They had things to work through, but she didn't want their relationship to be over.

She didn't think Fitz wanted that either, but he was so ashamed of himself he wasn't thinking straight. She was so worried about him. She went to the room next to his and got straight into bed, exhausted mentally and emotionally and determined to go right to sleep.

It was strange, lying in bed without him while knowing he was just on the other side of the wall. She felt like he was further away than ever, at the moment. Almost as separate as he'd been in the Framework, except that tonight, he knew who he really was.

She would settle things with Fitz, after all this was done. Hopefully tomorrow night they would be sleeping in the same room, the Framework and Aida only alive in memories. They would help each other fall asleep, like they used to. Like she needed them to.

* * *

 _11:03 p.m._

Fitz made it two hours before calling it a lost cause. Sleep was evading him, despite his desire for it. He looked at his clock again and sighed, jumping out of bed and pulling his shirt on. He couldn't stay in here much longer, or he'd go mad.

He tried the door next to his first, opening it a crack. He couldn't see much inside the room, but he recognized Jemma quickly enough from the sound of her breathing, and slipped fully inside.

He didn't want to be creepy or anything, but he had to see her. He had to know she was safe. Whenever he closed his eyes and got somewhat close to sleep, he saw her in their last few minutes in the Framework. When she had begged him to remember her, and said she loved him, and he had shot her in return.

She seemed peaceful enough now, curled up under a blanket. He walked closer and brushed some hair back from her face. "I'm so sorry, Jemma," he said as quietly as he could. He allowed himself to look at her, when she couldn't look back, and actually say what he wanted to. "You saved me again, but you shouldn't have had to." He closed his eyes for a moment. "I ruined everything, and I don't think I can fix it. But I'll try, if you're willing to let me."

He stood there for a few more seconds and then carefully walked out, back to his own room.

* * *

 _1:19 a.m._

Jemma wasn't sleeping well at all. She kept waking up not feeling rested, and finding that only an hour had passed, or less. She'd thought she'd seen Fitz at one point, but it had to have been a dream. Still, she had to see him. Part of the reason she kept waking up was her concern for him, and each time she tried to roll over and ignore it, she woke up even faster. So she gave up and stood, going to the door next to hers and opening it ever so softly.

His breathing was even, so she went fully into the room, quietly making her way over to the bed.

He seemed so relaxed, asleep like this. His features weren't downcast or riddled with guilt. She perched on the edge of his bed, reaching out a hand to touch him. But she decided not to, for fear of waking him. She could see he was safe. She would just have to content herself with that for now.

Until she saw a change in his facial expression. His closed eyes narrowed, and liquid appeared at their corners. "Fitz," she whispered in a choked voice. Apparently even in sleep he was suffering.

She brushed a tear away with the back of her finger, making her movements as light as possible to avoid waking him. "I know it's hard right now, but it'll get better," she said to him. "You may be doubting yourself, but I'm not. I still love you the same." She half-smiled. "We're going to get through this, like we always do."

She leaned closer and touched her lips to his temple, then quickly stood and walked out.

* * *

 _4:35 a.m._

On one side of a wall, Jemma Simmons sat on a bed, staring at a door.

On the other side of that wall, Leopold Fitz sat on a bed, staring at a door.

Both wondering if they could risk sneaking into the other's room again without being detected, and both tempted to risk it anyway.

Almost synchronously they stood and walked to the doors, extending their hands to open them –

A few sharp raps on one door, then the next, and Coulson's voice saying "we've gotta move. Time to figure out how to stop Aida."

Fitz, who had gotten the door partly opened, pressed it closed again. He leaned his head against it with his eyes closed, unable to fight down the feeling of disappointment at not being able to check on Jemma again.

Jemma, who had just laid her hand on the doorknob, tightened her hand around it, staring unseeing at the door itself as regret that she hadn't gotten up to see Fitz again sooner coursed through her.

Maybe the next night, they thought as they turned to get ready for the day.


End file.
